May Day: Nigerian politicians’ message to workers

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has urged Nigerian workers, including public and private workers in the state to remain productive as the world celebrates International Workers’ Day.

Sanwo-Olu, in a statement issued on Saturday by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Gboyega Akosile, urged workers to be committed at carrying out their duties.

He commended all the workers for their patience, strength, passion and commitment to the development of Lagos State and Nigeria as a whole.

According to him, workers are the lifeblood of the economy, hence, should not relent in their positive contributions to the economy.

”Happy Workers’ Day to all our committed and hardworking workers in the public and private sectors.

“We appreciate your contributions; they are indeed the lifeblood of our economy because without the contributions of the workers, no government can achieve its dream.

”Nigerian workers are the fabric that make up the society as a result of their tireless contributions to the socio-economic development of the country.

”As we join the rest of the world today, to celebrate International Workers’ Day, I implore all workers, especially those in Lagos State to remain productive and committed to duty.

”We must all join hands together to take Lagos to greater heights in line with our administration’s Greater Lagos agenda.

”As a government, we will continue to make the welfare of workers our priority and ensure that we play our role in creating a good working environment for workers in the state.

“I congratulate all our workers on the 2022 International Workers’ Day,” Sanwo-Olu said.

The Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), has reiterated his administration’s commitment to strengthen and prioritise workers’ welfare in the state.

This is contained in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Richard Olatunde, on Sunday in Akure.

Akeredolu congratulated the workers on the occasion of the 2022 Worker’s Day Celebration and saluted their resilience and dedication which he said had engendered optimum service delivery to the people of the state.

The governor appreciated the leadership of the organised labour in the state for the continued exhibition of maturity, understanding and support, particularly at this challenging time.

“Workers are the strong engine room of every government. Their contributions to the success of any administration cannot be overemphasised.

“It is in recognition of the importance of our workers that this administration has continued to place premium on their welfare.

“We have set aside the obnoxious practice which encouraged partisan politics and truncate the careers of committed public servants.

“Our administration has in the last five years, determined the promotion of public servant on merit. These promotion exercises are regular and timely.

“We have repositioned our civil service and promote discipline among public officers. We have instilled values that encourage better performance and reward hard work. We shall continue to get better.

“We have recently approved the bifurcation of the Directorate of Finance and Administration into two departments.

“This is in line with the Federal Government’s directive that the directorate be separated into two departments for the purpose of specialization and to promote optimum service delivery.

“The newly bifurcated departments are the Finance and Accounts; and the Administration and Supplies.

“It is our belief that this bifurcation will further strengthen the delivery of services and allow core professionals to handle their schedules. We will continue to strive for more excellence in the civil service.

“While we are optimistic that better days await us, we shall not shy away from performing our avowed responsibilities.

“We shall keep exploring every available means to ensure that we meet our obligations of paying workers salaries, pensions and gratuities, and subventions as and when due, despite the paucity of fund and the dwindling federal allocation,” Akeredolu was quoted as saying.

He urged the workers to rededicate themselves to the service of the state and join hands with his administration to deliver on the “REDEEMED” agenda of his second term in office.

Meanwhile, All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential aspirant, Sen. Bola Tinubu has charged Nigerians to worm in harmony to produce a better country for themselves and future generations.

This is coming on the backdrop of International Workers” Day, celebrated by workers globally.

Tinubu in a statement by his media aide, Mr Tunde Rahman, on Sunday in Lagos, in commemoration of the 2022 international workers’ day, urged Nigerians to dedicate themselves to a hopeful future.

The APC presidential hopeful enjoined everyone to do what was necessary to pave and ease the way for the Nigerian labourer.

He said: “Labour is the backbone of a nation. Our nation’s labourers are the daily unsung heroes of society.

“The work they performed helps define our nation. The goods and services their efforts provide are the basis of our collective well-being.

“It is a day for us to fully celebrate the Nigerian worker. You face many obstacles, but you persevere and thrive even in the most difficult situations and hard times.

“So many workers wake before dawn and continue their labour until well after dusk. Their industry and commitment are remarkable; their sacrifice, inspiring.

“Today l join all Nigerians in celebrating the hard work and productivity of Nigerian workers around the country. Without them, there is no production, no progress, no development and no better tomorrow.”

Tinubu,  therefore, called on the people to dedicate the day and themselves to the fair and unassailable proposition that every worker was entitled to an equitable wage representing the value of their labour and effort.

According to him, Nigerians everywhere continue to produce goods and services, applying their skills, ingenuity, and pursuit of a better way in all fields of economic endeavour.

He said: “From factory to farm, large to small businesses, from using traditional skills in established ways to deploying technology to create new skills and tomorrow’s new products.

“Through their hard endeavour, the nation’s workers embody the best of themselves and rekindle hope for Its nation’s future.”

The former governor of Lagos state noted that work not only provided a livelihood, it added greater meaning and purpose to the lives of those who actually laboured.

He advised the people to celebrate those who labour for the collective good and prosperity of all.

“Let us also dedicate our labour to provide the best products and services our society and its people need.

“Everyday that we show up to work and contribute the best of ourselves to the labour at hand is a day we contribute to the betterment of our communities.

“May we do what is necessary to pave and ease the way for the Nigerian labourer.

“That no one who works for a living should live in poverty. That no one shall work in unacceptable and dangerous conditions.

“No one shall experience discrimination and bigotry on the job. All forms of harassment of female workers and unfair treatment of the physically challenged must end.

“And those who are now elderly and retired are duly entitled to timely and full payment of the pensions owed them for their years of labour and toil for the benefit of this nation,” he said.

Tinubu explained that everyone is a worker, and all had  roles to play in the progress of our nation.

He noted that extra burden, however, was placed upon a nation’s leaders, therefore, they must create the economic and political space so that the workforce might thrive and achieve its fullest expression.

Tinubu advised that the leaders must set the tone for the entire community by embodying diligence, selflessness, and productive purpose so that the rest of society might follow in this manner.

“As we acknowledge and celebrate the Nigerian worker on this day, let us as Nigerians, dedicate ourselves to a hopeful future where our individual and collective efforts merge in harmony to produce a better Nigeria for ourselves and future generations,” he said.

Likewise, Mr Uche Okafor, Speaker, Anambra State House of Assembly has commended workers of Anambra state for their role in the development of the state.

The speaker described the state Civil Service as one of the best in the country in areas of comportment, dedication to duty and productivity.

Okafor made the commendation  in his goodwill message to mark 2022 Workers Day on Saturday in Awka.

The statement was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) through Mr Emma Madu, Chief Press Secretary to the speaker.

Okafor extolled the contributions of workers to the development of the country, noting that they were the engine that drove all sectors of the nation’s economy.

He paid glowing tribute to Mrs Theodora Igwegbe, the state’s Head of Service, for galvernising the workforce to achieve excellence through the introduction of great reforms.

The speaker said that Igwegbe within the short time in office had introduced service-driven reforms that had motivated workers to perform optimally.

He urged heads of ministries, agencies and departments to give Igwegbe necessary support to move the state workforce to more enviable heights.

The speaker prayed God to strengthen Anambra workers to enable them to continue to contribute meaningfully towards the peace and progress of the state.

Okafor commended Gov. Chukwuma Soludo for his wise decision to maintain regular payment of workers’ salaries and other welfare packages.

He urged workers to maintain the principle of hard work as a way to partner the governor for quality service delivery to the people of the state.

He appealed to the workers to support  Soludo’s administration and strive to uphold the tenets of civil service at all times for the benefit of the state.